“Really? That’s not very nerd-sexy.”
“I know. He’s making a big effort to try to leave work at the office, but honestly… I like watching him work. Last weekend I was at his place, and I woke up to see him sitting at his desk in the glow of his laptop. And it was so sexy. Like I was watching him save the world with no shirt on.”
“Wow, that’s really interesting…”
Jenn nodded.
“…because the last time I talked to you, you said were taking it slow, and there was no sex going on.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks blazed red. “Um…”
“You’re doing it with Elliott Sullivan!” Chloe crowed.
“Shush,” Jenn scolded past a smile. “We got carried away.”
“So did you cry?”
Jenn clenched her eyes shut. “That story is never going to die, is it?”
“Nuh-uh.”
“No, I did not cry.” She opened her eyes, and they sparkled with joy. “Unless you count my cries of wild passion and crazed need.”
“Oh, my God!” Chloe squealed, reaching across the table to slap her arm. “You’re a dirty girl!”
“Maybe,” Jenn answered with a cheeky smile.
Chloe grinned at her so hard it hurt. “I’m so glad to see you. But I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not while my Sullivan brother is four thousand miles away.”
“Are you sure? I was going to tell you about Elliott’s amazing—”
“Stop it!” Chloe covered her ears. “I am a lonely wretch of a woman.”
“Aw. When’s Max coming back?”
“Six more weeks.”
“And then what?”
She should’ve felt uncertain as she pondered the question. But Chloe felt nothing but anticipation. Even if Max spent the next year going back and forth, working out his issues, Chloe Turner was going to be just fine. She looked down at her Lucky Charms T-shirt with a little smile. “I have no idea. Things are good between us, and I think they’ll only get better. Right now, we’re taking it slow. Some of us know how to be patient.”
“Liar,” Jenn said.
And she was right.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MAX NO LONGER FELT the roll of the sea beneath his feet, but a glance toward the horizon made him aware that the boat was bucking pretty hard. He scanned the water with a hard eye, waiting for the last diver to surface, but he didn’t move forward to assist.
Instead, he wrapped his hands around the railing and let Kailie hunch over the water as it began to bubble. This hands-off technique made him sweat, even in the constant sea breeze, and his stomach wasn’t exactly happy with the training, either.
The diver, a twenty-year veteran who still faced every day with excitement, emerged from the water, holding his net bag high. It was the last planned dive at this site, so even though the bag held only a tiny pottery shard, the diver shouted in triumph. The crew hated to leave even a fragment of treasure behind.
Greedy bastards, Max thought with total affection. They worked hard and partied harder and drove him mad every step of the way. But tomorrow he’d be on a flight to Virginia, and that was enough to keep his anxiety under control.
Chloe. Just the thought of her made him smile, though he turned serious again when he watched Kailie handling the last of the tanks. He’d check her work when she was done. So far, he hadn’t discovered any mistakes. Kailie was thorough, but she was young and way too nice to boss these hard-headed daredevils around. Maybe after a few more seasons…
By the time he finished double-checking the equipment and the logs, the galley was deserted, so Max made a quick sandwich and retreated to his cabin. As he shut the door, his mind raced, anticipating the soft thrill of hearing Chloe’s voice. It was Saturday, so they’d share a few hours of conversation, at least.